


Stumble

by stickyyfingers



Series: Pre-Release Shorts [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Childhood Friends Team not giving poor boy Dimitri a break, F/M, Female My Unit | Byleth, POV Second Person, Post-Time Skip, Pre-Time Skip, in which Byleth is actually a harvest moon character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2020-06-25 06:48:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19740424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stickyyfingers/pseuds/stickyyfingers
Summary: Dimitri has a bit of a crush, maybe.





	Stumble

**Author's Note:**

> The usual disclaimer, pre-release, a lot of headcanons, no guarantee that they will be accurate once the game is out.

“Alright, that concludes today’s lesson.”

You clap your hands, signaling for the class to put down their weapons. “Nice work, everyone. If you keep at it, we’ll be able to have a field trip this weekend.”

“Field trip! Yay!” Annette cheers, and several other student erupt in excited muttering.

“Finally!”

“You think we’re going to battle?”

“Hehe, I’m gonna impress the ladies with my new parrying technique!”

You make your way over to the rear of the classroom, where Dimitri is still fumbling with the hilt of his axe, a small frown between his brows. When he hears you approaching, his head shoots up. “Professor! I’m still… um…”

“You did well today,” you tell him. “I know you aren’t very confident with axes, but you’ve been improving quite a lot these past weeks. If you keep going like this, you might just reach proficiency.”

His eyes widen. “You-you really think…”

“Of course! There’s nothing that can’t be done with hard work and dedication.” Patting his shoulder, you quirk an encouraging smile. “Don’t give up.”

“Thank you, Professor… I-I won’t, of course…” Dimitri’s stuttering awkwardly, and his cheeks have taken on a light pink color. Several of the students start snickering behind your back, making you cock your head in question. His face turns even redder. “Uh…” He mumbles. “I mean…”

Finally, he straightens up with a huff. “You can count on me!”

“That’s the spirit!” Turning back around, you head for the doorway. “I trust you guys will clean up here before dinner.”

“Of course, Prof!” Sylvain winks at you. “You can leave your classroom in these trustworthy hands.”

You see Ingrid rolling her eyes at him, and a good-natured chuckle escapes from your lips. “Well, if that’s so…” You close the door behind you, smiling to yourself. These pupils of yours, you muse. They’re a bit silly at times, but they’re definitely good kids.

Making your way down the corridor, you can’t help catching a snippet of conversation. “Dimitri’s totally whipped for Professor, huh?”

“Please stop talking, Sylvain…”

***

You’ve been aware of Dimitri’s little crush for a while. He’s not the only one; you caught Ashe and Raphael giving you dreamy looks on several occasions, as well as Bernadetta of all people, who always looks like she’s on the verge of bursting into tears whenever your eyes meet, both of her ears the color of tomatoes.

You don’t blame them for it, of course. They’re hormonal teenagers—heck, you’ve been through this yourself not that long ago—and you’re something akin to a role model, plus you’re only three years or so older than them.

It was bound to happen, really. If you think about it, it’s actually kind of cute that your pupils admire you so.

“…you guys doing anything for Flowers’ Day that’s coming up?”

“Heh, don’t ask me. The question is, will Dimitri be brave enough to gift something to our darling Professor?”

You pause in your step, recognizing the voices of Ingrid and Sylvain, and a huff that’s undoubtedly the young prince in question, all coming from the empty armory. Pressing closer to the wall, you curse them and their gossiping. Do they always have to do this when you happen to walk by? Now you can’t _not_ listen in…

“Really,” Felix drawls, doing his best to pretend disinterest. “What’s with you and the Professor anyway? You’ve taken a liking to older women? Should I be worried about leaving you alone with my sisters, then?”

“What? Of course not!”

Dimitri’s cry is nothing short of scandalized. “All of them are like, thirty. And married. I would… I would never—”

He cuts himself off abruptly, and a heavy silence settles in the room. Even though you can’t see their faces, the smirk of the other three is audible.

“Uh-huh, Felix, don’t be absurd,” Sylvain clears his throat. “He’s only got eyes for one woman. Our Dimitri is a loyal boy like that.”

“Right. My mistake.”

“I-I don’t like Professor Byleth in that way,” Dimitri tries to object, but Sylvain just laughs good-naturedly.

“Of course you don’t. It’s just because she’s a really good teacher that you talk about her at every given opportunity. Or start stuttering whenever she talks to you. Or go bright red trying to look anywhere but her eyes or bosom. A very nice bosom, I’ll admit.”

“For the love of— Sylvain, have you no decency!”

“Heh. You’re not denying it, though.”

“Now that I think of it,” Felix says. ”I also saw him drawing little hearts on his class notes lately.”

“I did no such thing!”

“Geez, you guys,” Ingrid chimes in, “go easy on him. We’re supposed to be cleaning, not talking about crushes like we’re thirteen-year-olds.”

“Oi! You were the one who started it,” protests Sylvain.

“And now I’m the one ending it. Besides,” her voice takes on an unusually playful note. “Giving her a gift on Flowers’ Day… I doubt Dimitri would have the guts for something like that.”

“This—this conversation is over!”

You jump up from your spot and barely make it around the corner before Dimitri marches out of the room, a flustered vigor in his step. When he passes by, you duck your head behind a pillar, and wait there until you can’t hear him in the corridor anymore.

You heave a small sigh. These four are as troublesome as they are endearing.

Also, you really have to stop with this whole eavesdropping thing. At this point, it’s becoming a bad habit.

***

As Flowers’ Day approaches, you mostly forget about what you overheard, having more pressing matters in mind for. Finals are coming up, and the other teachers want to organize a small get-together for after the grades are done. As you enjoy fishing and gardening, they have tasked you with the assembly of ingredients, so there’s still much to do before the end of the month.

You’re sitting hunched over your desk, going over some essays before lunch break, when suddenly a shadow falls over the paper you’re reading. You look up, and find yourself facing Dimitri.

“Professor.”

Biting his lip, he shifts his weight awkwardly for a few moments. “I’ve got, er, something to give to you.”

You blink in surprise. “Oh?” He's got his arms crossed behind his back, you note, and he’s looking strangely sheepish, almost as if he’s been up to something. “Did you forget to hand in your homework on time? Don’t worry about it. Although, I thought I already looked it over earlier…”

He clears his throat. “Ah, um, no, it’s not that.”

“Then what is it?”

Dimitri seems to be grappling with himself, as if he’s battling over the right words internally. Finally, he takes a deep breath, and pushes back his shoulders.

A bouquet of white Winterlions appears in your face.

“I know it would be improper since you’re my teacher, so I don’t expect anything in return, but… if nothing else, p-please accept these tokens of my affection!” He tears his gaze away, cheeks glowing a deep scarlet.

For a few moments, you just look at him with a dumbfounded expression.

A flicker of doubt dances across his face. “O-on second note... forgive me for speaking out of turn, Professor, it was most inappropriate. Could you maybe forget what I just said—”

“Wait.” You hold up your hand. “It’s not very chivalrous to take back a gift, or is it?”

He blanches. “No, I suppose not.”

“Well. I’ll accept it, then,” you say, gently extracting the bouquet from his clammy fingers. “The seeds of these flowers make a good seasoning. I’ll try and plant some of them in my garden, so maybe more will grow next year.” Ruffling his hair, you give him a kind smile. “A useful gift, thank you. You’re a good kid, Dimitri.”

He ducks at the praise, and a shy grin steals its way onto his face.

“One day you’ll find a nice girl for yourself as well. One who will gladly receive any tokens of your affection.”

“I—Yes, Professor.”

You watch after him as he leaves, a warm glow in your chest. You feel a little bit bad, turning him down when he was being so earnest, but at least he took it with poise. It’s for the better like that. This crush of his will pass, and he’ll find his happiness in his own time.

At least, that’s what you hope for him.

“Well, anyway, what shall we do about you lovelies?” You ask the bouquet of flowers in your hands. “Guess I still have some gardening to do.”

***

_Five years later…_

When you next see Dimitri again, you don’t expect to quite literally run into him.

“Oh!” You gasp, face bouncing off a heavy plate of chest armor. A set of hands catches you around the waist when you stumble, keeping you steady.

“My apologies,” you murmur absently, looking up at the heavily coated stranger. He’s tall, so you have to crane your neck quite a bit. When your eyes meet, you almost do a double take. “Di-Dimitri?”

“It’s been long, Professor.”

Wow, you think. His voice sounds a lot deeper than you remember. He also looks a lot more… rugged. And when the hell did he get that eyepatch? You open your mouth, struggling to figure out what to say. What in the name of Seiros happened to you, you want to ask. 

He gives you a grin that is nothing short of devilish. “We’ve a lot to catch up on.”

“Y-yeah,” you breathe out, feeling your face grow hot like a church on fire.

Fuck, you think in trepidation, following mechanically as he leads you towards the general’s tent. This is bad, really, really bad.

When in all heavens did Dimitri get _hot_?

**Author's Note:**

> In short, Dimitri is best husband (to be). I already love the idea of him being an awkward blushy mess around MC pre-timeskip, then afterwards it's the other way around. More is definitely to come once the game is out and we know more of their dynamics.
> 
> If you'd like to see more please check out my [fire emblem tumblr](https://dimilethdisaster.tumblr.com/). I like to upload to that site a few days prior to posting a cleaned version here.


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